This Teriyaki Chicken recipe with a delicious sticky sauce makes a brilliant, quick, healthy, midweek meal. No need to marinate – just stir fry and serve.
Dinner in 30 minutes that still feels like a mega treat (eg. FAKEAWAY)… yes please! And this sauce is sticky, sweet, salty, savoury and just simply delicious.
This Teriyaki Chicken is one of my ancient recipes from when I first started blogging many moons ago. I’ve tweaked, tested and improved it over the years, and I am pleased to report it’s still as yummy as ever.
A firm favourite back on our meal plans for that quick, satisfying win, be it midweek or a weekend.
Why you’ll love this Teriyaki Chicken recipe
⭐️ Healthier and cheaper than a takeaway
⭐️ So quick and no need to marinate
⭐️ Perfect for leftovers or meal prepping ahead
About Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki is a Japanese style of cooking using a glaze. The glaze is cooked until thick and then used to marinate the meat before cooking.
You can buy it as a pre-made bottled sauce, but honestly? My recipe is made using relatively low cost supermarket ingredients and it is so quick and simple. No nasties and full of flavour.
If you would like to find out more about traditional Teriyaki sauce made using authentic Japanese methods, you can find out more at Just One Cookbook.
Teriyaki Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breast or thighs
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce – Buying the best quality you can will make a difference. I like Kikkoman (with less salt).
- Honey – I use runny as it’s easier to handle and pour, but any is fine.
- White wine vinegar
- Garlic – As always, you can use fresh, frozen, a jar or paste
- Ginger – Again, ready-prepared or fresh is fine
- Cornflour – Always add a little liquid to make up a slurry first (see FAQs)
- Garlic powder – You can use fresh instead if you don’t have this
How to make Chicken Teriyaki
1. Mix the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Begin with the cornflour and gradually add the soy sauce, whisking so there are no lumps. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients.
2. Heat the oil and add the chicken until cooked. Add garlic and ginger for a few minutes and add the teriyaki sauce. Cook for 5 minutes until coated and thickened.
Substitutions
- Chicken – You can use breasts or thighs for this recipe as both work really well. Thighs are usually cheaper and slightly tastier and juicier in texture, but it’s down to personal preference.
- Oil – Sesame oil will add flavour if you have it, but no need to buy especially if you don’t. Vegetable or sunflower oil would be fine.
- Vinegar – I use white wine vinegar but you can also use red wine vinegar or Mirin (a Japanese rice wine).
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully by in the microwave or hob before serving. You might need splash of water.
In the freezer This recipe freezes well. Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or hob.
Top tips for making Teriyaki Chicken
What to serve with Teriyaki Chicken
This goes really well with rice and green vegetables on the side, such as broccoli. Mangetout, green beans or carrots also work. If you like your vegetables coated in sauce, when they’re cooked you can mix them into the teriyaki sauce just before serving.
Teriyaki Chicken FAQs
I have thoroughly tested this recipe and my family loves it, and doesn’t find it too salty at all. However, I do appreciate that some people might find that it is as it’s made with a lot of soy sauce, so is by nature quite salty.
You can buy a soy sauce with less salt in, but if that’s not to your taste, you might be best with a different fakeaway chicken recipe instead, such as my Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken.
This is a trick to thicken the sauce without ending up with floury lumps.
First you add cornflour to a small bowl, mug or jug, then use a little liquid from the dish (a spoonful or two) to mix the cornflour into a paste consistency.
If you just sprinkle cornflour straight into the dish, it will form lumps that are almost impossible to get rid of. I promise this step is worth the extra dirty bowl!
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Easy Teriyaki Chicken {with Sticky Sauce}
Ingredients
- 650 g Chicken breasts Skinless, boneless, cut into chunks
- 1 tbsp Oil Sesame, vegetable or sunflower
- 2 Cloves of garlic Peeled and crushed
- 1 tsp Ginger puree
For the Teriyaki Sauce:
- 2 tsp Cornflour
- 100 ml Soy sauce
- 50 ml Water
- 3 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp White wine vinegar
- 0.5 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Ginger purée
- 0.5 tsp Dried chilli flakes Optional
To garnish:
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Begin with the cornflour and gradually add the soy sauce, whisking so there are no lumps. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan until very hot.
- Add the chicken and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the chicken is almost cooked through.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes until softened.
- Add the teriyaki sauce ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes until everything is well coated and thickened.
- While the chicken is cooking, I cook some rice in the bottom of a steamer pan and then add some green vegetables to the steamer part on top for the last 5 minutes. (You can mix the cooked broccoli into the sauce and chicken just before serving if you'd like it coated in sauce.)
Notes
- Nutrition calculated without rice or vegetables.
Sophie says
Hahaha, I think of Ross too!
Hannah says
You make some sexy looking things! this looks gorgeous 🙂 I was thinking of Vic and Bob (i couldn’t find a good clip though!) I’ll be thinking of Ross from now on! xxx
Mel says
This looks amazing, Sarah! I am definitely going to try as I have never made Teriyaki chicken before. Will let you know when I do! Mel #TastyTuesdays
Julie's Family Kitchen says
Oh, this looks gorgeous. I’ll have to give this a go. Great recipe Sarah. By the way, your photos always look so beautiful.
Mummy Says says
This looks amazing and the kind of meal that would go down a treat at our place. I’ll give it a go! Your photos are beautiful too xx
Tina Holmes says
Mmmmmm me and the OH would love this, looks divine. #TastyTuesdays
Sophie at Franglaise Cooking says
Your photography is amazing – and I can’t even spot the rogue sesame seed! This looks so yummy – I’m pinning it now to try out later. And yes, how can you not think of that Friends episode?!?
#TastyTuesdays
Honest Mum says
We make this a lot, divine and I like to keep fish or chicken marinating in the sauce overnight if I’m feeling prepared! Stunning food stills as usual! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Jen says
This is delicious!!! I added a little sesame oil to the sauce after cooking before coating the chicken.
Remote Distance says
Wow this was so GOOD!
Sarah says
My husband is going to be so happy that I’ve found this recipe 😂. It looks amazing, can’t wait to try it! Your food always looks fab x
Sarah Barnes says
Ahh, let me know how you get on! x
Ursula says
Finally got around to making this dish and I am sorry I didn’t make it sooner! It is gorgeous and my fussy 7 year old loved it! Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Sarah Barnes says
Ahh so pleased you liked it Ursula! 🙂
Keelin Murphy says
Hi Sarah
I love your blog and make a lot of your recipes. I made this last night and it was very salty, and I used low sodium soya sauce!
I noticed your recipe doesn’t use water, most other online seem to dilute the sauce with water – have you any suggestions?
Thanks,
Keelin (also a twin mom!!)
Sarah says
Honestly the nicest thing I’ve made in ages. It tastes amazing so will deffo make this again
Joanne Sheridan says
Loved this and so did the rest of the family. Winner winner chicken dinner
Jill says
Easy and delicious!
Kerry B says
Tasty and simple meal 🙂
Abigail Bennison says
We love this, theres 6 of us so I always double up on the sauce, just so we can have lots of it 😉
LP says
Used salmon as no chicken and threw everything in at once as I didnt read the recipe properly and it STILL TASTED AMAZING ! Highest praise from my husband: it tastes like a takeaway!
Kammer says
It is making my mouth water so exited added some chilly flacks
Jenny says
Could eat this all day everyday!
Holly says
Absolutely delicious!! Whole family loved it and even the fussy 3 year old got stuck in!
Thankyou! X
Lauren says
This is my favourite dish of yours, I’ve tried a lot of them. So tasty and feels like a real treat. Thank you.
Sarah Barnes says
Thank you for taking the time to leave so many lovely comments. So appreciated and so happy you love the recipes!! x
Katie says
Best chicken I’ve ever made, so tasty!
Amanda says
This was absolutely delicious. My son who is critical with everything I make sat quietly and ate the lot. Hubby loved it too. So easy and quick to make. Thank you.
Sophie says
Had to reduce soy sauce by half as was wayyy too salty first time I made it. But truly delish with less soy! Brill recipe and so easy!!